ST. JAMES PARISH, La (BRPROUD) — Residents in St. James Parish can now apply for FEMA assistance in person.
The Convent Senior Center is now operating as a temporary Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) seven days a week from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
“We have FEMA representatives in-person that residents can come here and visit with, and they can consult with, and express to them their individual needs and circumstances,” said St. James Parish President Pete Dufresne.
You can apply online, over the phone, or through an app. But Pete Dufresne says meeting in person is best for his community.
“We have a lot of residents that are still without internet, so I felt it was important to get FEMA representatives in here, live in-person where residents can come to visit with and talk face-to-face,” Dufresne said.
The center is also providing tools to help people who may need assistance including translators, information in Braille, tools for people who have low vision or hard of hearing, and more.
Dufresne said the parish is also providing transportation for residents who need a lift to the center.
“Any residents needing transportation, they can call our citizen service center and they can schedule transportation,” said Dufresne.
Nearly $5 million has been approved for St. James Parish alone, according to a FEMA representative.
Dufrense says they are hoping to rebuild the West Bank to hopefully open additional recovery centers.